Sangreal
by Leanne Quinzel
Summary: The Champion of Cyrodiil may have saved her home with the lighting of the dragonfires, but she was not able to save the man that held her heart. Have the gods given her a second chance to find that love once more? Heroine/Martin S. Oblivion.
1. Summary

**Sangreal-Prologue**

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><p>It was the dawning of a new age in Cyrodil without an Emperor. A small sense of disunity resulted amongst the provinces and Chancellor Ocato, along with the Elder council, struggled to keep the cities calm. The citizens, going so long without an heir to the throne, became alarmed and withdrew into a state of panic. One heroic sacrifice had caused such an ironic reaction.<p>

Martin Septim, the last of the royal blood-line, had given up his life along with the Amulet of Kings to bind together with the Spirit of Akatosh. In succeeding, he had re-lit the dragon-fires and stopped Mehrunes Dagon from destroying the lands of Tamriel.

However, the only flicker of hope for the future he had left was with the Champion of Cyrodil, Sirai Allesia, a female Khajiit.

Unknowingly to the nations, destiny would soon take its course.


	2. Chapter 1 Remembrance

**Sangreal-Chapter 1-Remembrance**

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><p>In the Imperial City, Cedric made his nightly rounds along the dark city walkways. There had been very little call for knights by the time he had left knight school so he had taken the job of a city guard. He had reached a status that even a knight could be proud of, Watch Captain.<p>

The cobble stone streets glistened in the moonlight as Cedric traveled over them. He stared at each house intently, making sure nothing was out of the ordinary.

Suddenly, a slight glimmer appeared from the darkness. He stopped and stared when it revealed itself again. He walked towards it silently. All of a sudden, he heard a faint gasp along with the flash of a bright, glowing pair of green eyes.

He suddenly saw a figure running away from where he had seen the eyes and he chased after it, yelling, "Halt!". Whatever it was, he grabbed them by the arm, discovering it covered in soft fur. The creature turned on him and lashed out, a few claws catching him on the face. He lunged forward but ended up stepping on the stranger's tail and a soft squeal barely passed through its lips. Taking advantage of his position, Cedric took a firm hold of the creature and looked upon its face in the moonlight. His own became filled with shock and he mumbled, "Sirai-" but the person hissed, "Leave me be. I'll pay the fine." Cedric shook his head and led the person away forcefully.

"Where are you taking me!" It asked in a surprised tone, but the guard refused to tell all until they were out of the city gates and inside of a small farm house.

Cedric pulled the cloak off of the creature. "Sirai Allessia, what are you doing stealing? That is disgraceful! Especially for someone like you!" He had revealed the Champion of Cyrodil. There she stood in all of her humbleness, a female khajiit, with long curly hair, glowing green eyes, and beautiful red fur with the customary white and black points and markings of her race. On top of that, she was now aglow with child, her stomach very round beneath her maroon gown.

The cat looked at Cedric and said, "First off, who are you? And, get a bandage for the scratches. You don't want them to get infected." Cedric pulled off his helmet and took a step towards her, running his fingers through his dirty blonde hair and rubbing the sleepers out of his swollen blue eyes.

Sirai took one look at him and stumbled backwards. "Cedric Galaynus… I-I was hoping I would never see you again." Cedric finished taking off his armor and said, "I knew you'd be happy to see me." Sirai took a seat at the small table near the roaring fire and shook her head in disbelief.

"Why did you leave me?" Cedric asked as he stood up, staring at her stomach in a vicious envy. Sirai looked down in shame and sadness. She stared up at Cedric and muttered, "You remember that day don't you?"

Cedric laughed to himself. How anyone could forget such a thing was a wonder for he remembered that day vividly, occurring a little under four years past, but seeming like it was only yesterday. He remembered being so happy at the arcane university infirmary, standing over his bride Sirai and their newborn baby daughter Kaya. Sirai, despite being dog-tired, looked absolutely stunning. Kaya seemed even as beautiful, if not more so, as she lay curled in her mother's embrace. Kaya was the darkest shade of black, her eyes a bright blue.

It was so sudden what had happened. Sirai had been smiling upon Kaya when her heart sank. She put a finger up to Kaya's nose and no warm air emitted from it. She ran a finger along her cheek. No response. Cedric had seen the horror on his wife's face and yelled for help, hollering at the top of his lungs. Moments afterwards when the doctors had taken the child away, the couple was told that their little girl had been delivered to the stars, by a disease that attacked her lungs. Three days later she was buried in the Allessia family grounds in Elswyr, the land of Khajiits.

Cedric shook himself back to reality and stared at the glassy-eyed Sirai. He was completely destroyed by the event, but he had no idea of how Sirai must've felt to have her first child die in her arms.

Back in the tiny sitting room of the little farm house, Cedric walked over to the khajiit and helped her up and over to his bed where he laid her down and covered her with a blanket of different colored wolf pelts. He sat beside her and rubbed his hand over the swollen belly. Sirai didn't seem to mind and laid her head back on the downy pillow. Cedric smiled. "I always loved seeing you pregnant. It's almost as if you haven't changed from the last moments I saw you." He laid his head upon her stomach and listened to the developing child's heartbeat. Sirai closed her eyes, blinking away her emotions. Her face portrayed neither happiness nor sadness. It was merely there. Content perhaps, but just there.

The guard slowly frowned, wishing the baby was his.

He sighed and sat down in the chair in front of his blazing hearth. After poking the coals for a while, making the fire sparkle several times, he grabbed an old ragged quilt and closed his eyes. For the first time in four years, Cedric went to sleep peacefully and slept fully through the night.

The next morning, Sirai woke very early, disturbing Cedric in the process of leaving the bed. As she slipped on her cloak, Cedric muttered, "Where are you going?" She turned around and said, "To the Temple of the One. I have to pay a friend a visit." Cedric shot out of his chair. "Let me take you there! Please…" Sirai gave him a grave look but reluctantly allowed him to escort her.

They soon arrived at the temple and shortly thereafter, whispers about the Champion of Cyrodil filled the air as citizens and priests stared at her. Sirai held her stomach as people bowed their heads to her. Cedric followed behind her, and they entered the temple.

Cedric stood to the side as he watched Sirai walk forward. She knelt at the altar as a priest anointed her with holy water. The hundred foot statue of Akatosh stood at the head of the temple, in honor of Martin Septim's actions. It was, him in fact, when he combined with the divine spirit.

Sirai stared up at it longingly and she thought back to that fateful day.

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><p><strong>AN: Story statuses are on my profile page. I try to update them frequently. Thanks for reading and reviewing!**


	3. Chapter 2 The Fight

**Sangreal-Chapter 2-The Fight**

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><p>Oblivion gates covered the city passage ways, daedra flooding in with their demon-like creatures. Sirai's duty was to protect the emperor, and protect the emperor she did.<p>

Within the great city walls, the barrier between Oblivion and Tamriel was broken and Mehrunes Dagon stood, in the flesh, before the warriors. He was a giant daedra carrying a large stick upon his shoulder. His muscles were huge and bulging beneath his leathery, red skin. The demonic lord's roars resounded through the whole city, striking fear and pain into every soul that heard it.

Martin turned towards Sirai and gasped, "No!...we're too late." Sirai stared at him in disbelief.

Martin was quite handsome with light brown hair cut an inch above his shoulders. His eyes were a striking blue and pierced the souls of whoever looked into them. Despite having all of his royal robes on, you could still see a hint of his athletic body with each thrust of his sword. Not something you would expect of a man that was a trained priest.

Sirai yelped in utter shock, "After all we've done, we can't have lost now!" Martin looked downwards. "I'm afraid we have lost." Sirai's cheeks flushed with anger and she harshly thrust her enchanted sword into a nearby Daedra, its body glowing a bright red, then purple, and it fell limp to the ground.

"Unless…" Martin muttered as he cut the throat of a scamp. Sirai spun around and cast lightening upon the daedra foe in front of her, making him convulse. "What?" Sirai bellowed. Martin thought for a second and replied, "The only thing that can defeat Mehrunes Dagon is another divine, but the only way I can summon a divine is if the blood of a royal is shed…I now know why I was put upon this earth."

Sirai realized what he was saying and pleaded with him desperately, "No! There must be another way!" Martin put his hands on the sides of her face. "You have saved this whole empire and me, the least I can do is save it for you." Sirai grabbed his hands, the couple's knuckles turning white. "To the Temple of the One so I can light the dragon-fires," Martin said. Sirai nodded and she ran down the street towards a circular building, Martin following on her heels.

She cut enemies left and right, blood staining her Blades armor, the armor of the Emperor's personal guards.

The two finally reached the temple and went inside. The shouting and chaos from outside were all muffled from inside the holy place. Martin looked at Sirai and said gently, "Whatever you do, do not forget what we have done. Carry on our legacy and write it down. Protect my blood." He wrapped his arms around her and kissed her dearly. Sirai did the same, not wanting to ever let him go.

Martin released himself from her hold reluctantly and walked towards the circular stand in the middle of the rounded room. As he stood there, he shouted, "I love you Sirai Alessia!" Sirai put a shaking hand to her lips and hollered back, "I love you too Martin Septim!"

The emperor levitated into the air. Mehrunes Dagon pounded his fist into the roof and the side of the temple crumbled. The giant Daedric lord threw his head back and roared. Martin's amulet of kings shined upon his chest and suddenly burst, a bright light flooding the air. When it disappeared, Martin was gone but instead a fiery dragon, the size of Mehrunes, stood before all.

Sirai fell to her knees. It was the spirit of Akatosh! He had arrived in Tamriel to defeat Mehrunes Dagon!

The two divines fought each other, the ferocity in their yells silencing the commotion in the background, stopping everyone in their tracks to stare up at the fight. Akatosh's mouth erupted with fire, lighting the dragon fires and scorching Mehrunes' hide. He yelled and swung his club at Akatosh, hitting the dragon in the side. The two continued to fight till the fires had closed the gates. Akatosh finally showered Mehrunes in flames, forcing the daedra lord to evaporate back into Oblivion.

Sirai cheered and stared upwards as the fiery dragon arched backwards and yelled. It suddenly turned to stone, forever a symbol of the oblivion crisis and the last of the Septim bloodline's sacrifice...Martin's.

Chancellor Ocato along with Jauffre, the leader of the Blades, and a group of palace guards, flooded into the temple. They all marveled at the sight and Ocato cheered, "Sirai Alessia! I pronounce you Champion of Cyrodil of the Order of the Dragon, an honor reserved only to six other people in history. Your work here today has saved our peaceful land!" Sirai was lifted up onto the shoulders of two guards and the crowd cheered. She smiled because the crisis was over, but her heart suddenly sank when she realized that Martin was now lost to her forever.

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><p><strong>AN: Story statuses are on my profile page. I try to update them frequently. Thanks for reading and reviewing!**


	4. Chapter 3 Awakening

**Sangreal-Chapter 3-Awakening**

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><p>Coming back from her memory, Sirai fell to the floor of the temple, face down, and wept, mumbling a few words in her native tongue, Ta'agra. Cedric was about to comfort her but the priest in the temple held him back and said in a low, solemn voice, "She must reflect. The Champion must realize her destiny." Cedric bowed his head in acceptance and continued to stare at the dissolving Sirai.<p>

The Khajiit wrapped her tail around herself and walked up to the leg of the statue. She sat down on the huge clawed foot and leaned against the leg.

As she sat there she noticed a small book near the stony claw. She picked it up and read it.

Five months earlier she had lost her traveling bag after she had come back from her visit with an Argonian witchdoctor to tell whether she was pregnant or not. Within that bag had been her journal, the journal she had kept since she left Cedric, the journal that she had kept when she saved Martin along with the whole city of Kvatch, the journal she had kept during the Oblivion crisis, the journal she had kept even after Martin had died. It was the journal she had kept until five months earlier when she had lost it on the way back from the Argonian witchdoctor.

In the now, that same book was in her hands, yet it was filled up to that date with all her thoughts and actions. She looked through it and the hand writing was hers, all of the thoughts and actions correct, but she had not possessed the book for quite some time.

She briefly read through the pages until she reached the last page. It was describing her at the temple of the one, sitting on the foot of Akatosh when the last sentence read, "And Martin Septim called out to me..."

Suddenly the diary closed and a deep voice filled the air."Sirai Alessia. The Champion of Cyrodil. Can you hear me?"

Sirai stood straight, stuffing the diary in her robes. She wiped her eyes. "By the nines! Is that you Martin? Yes I can hear you!" She looked around amazed and excited, but the priest and Cedric seemed as if they could not hear the voice.

Martin's voice called out once more. "It is only you and me, Sirai. Like many times before, it is just you and me. But listen carefully. The divines have decided to spare Cyrodil and have granted me a chance to come back to the mortal world to rule as emperor." Sirai raised her arms into the air and yelled a few words of foreign praise."Anything to have you back! What must I do?"  
>"We can finally be reunited, but you must find a person willing to give up their life, so I may take theirs."<br>"Yes, I will find someone."  
>Martin's voice then started to fade and he said quickly, "I must go now, speak with Jauffre. He will know what to do. I love you always." Sirai reached into the air, whispering, "I love you too."<p>

The world then settled at that moment and Sirai took a deep breath. She walked back to Cedric and said, "We must go to Cloud Ruler Temple. I have to talk to Jauffre." Cedric stared at her strangely and then nodded. "Okay, we shall go to Cloud Ruler Temple."

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><p><strong>AN: Story statuses are on my profile page. I try to update them frequently. Thanks for reading and reviewing!**


	5. Chapter 4 Building a Foundation

**Sangreal-Chapter 4-Sacrifice**

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><p>Upon going to a fellow watch captain for an issued leave, Cedric was also granted a small dispatch of the Imperial Legion, and he set off with Sirai for Bruma, the host city of the Cloud Ruler Temple. They traveled past caves, Ayleid ruins and various forts. Creatures and bandits attacked them from all sides but the Imperial escort quickly stopped their threats. The group passed through Bruma and up the Ferall Mountains until they came to the temple hosted by the Blades.<p>

Cloud Ruler Temple had been the sanctuary that kept Martin safe while Sirai had quested for the answers to close the oblivion gates. It held many memories for the Hero of Kvatch

The leader of the Blades, Jauffre, had received word of Sirai's arrival and stood on the snowy steps of the temple. He was a graying old man and wore his mole brown, monk robes with dignity. He had been a monk at Weynon Priory, secretly keeping control over the blades until the need to find Martin arose.

"Welcome Sister Do Sirai," He said open armed and peaceful looking. Cedric turned towards Sirai as they rode towards Jauffre and asked, "Do?" Sirai laughed. "It is a traditional Khajiit title given to warriors or masters of Goutfang, Whispering Claw, and Rawlith Khaj, the Khajiiti martial arts." Cedric nodded in understanding.

Sirai struggled to get off of Shadowmere, her midnight black, red-eyed horse given to her by Lucien Lachance, the Dark Brotherhood's former listener. No one knew that Sirai was the new listener of the Black Hand, and no one knew that Shadowmere was "affiliated" with the Dark brotherhood assassin community. Except for Martin that is. Sirai couldn't bring herself to lie to him.

Jauffre helped her off of the horse and Sirai said cheerfully, "So nice to see you Brother Jauffre." The gentleman smiled and nodded and bent at the waist before introducing himself to Cedric and leading everyone into the temple.

As the Imperial escorts turned into the bunks, resting their battle stricken bodies, Jauffre, Cedric, and Sirai seated themselves in the main hall. Remnants from the oblivion portal that Martin had opened for Sirai were still etched into the floor. They were yet another reminder of what had happened over half a year before.

"Did you receive a message from Martin, Brother Jauffre?" Sirai asked quietly and urgently, as they all sat nervously around the table. It was worn smooth from its countless years of use. On top of it sat mugs of ale along with Surilie Brothers patented bottles of wine, plates of bread, venison, fruits, vegetables, and cheese. It was a miniature feast.

Jauffre laced his hands together and took a deep breath. He looked deeply into Sirai's eyes. "Yes, Martin did speak with me. There is a way to bring him back." Sirai gasped as a hand flew to her mouth in excitement. She shook her head as she felt tears welling up in her eyes. "Can it be true?" She asked quietly. Jauffre nodded and stood from his chair to take out a folded piece of paper he had stowed in his robes. "There aren't many objects we must retrieve," he began, "but their uniqueness is what makes them rather challenging to come by. Are you ready?" Sirai looked at Cedric and he nodded, "Where you go, I will follow." Sirai smiled and nodded to Jauffre.

The old Blade cleared his throat and looked upon the two gravely, beginning with, "Three objects are all we must retrieve. Alone they do nothing, but according to Martin, together they can almost do anything. First, are the waters of Kynareth, found beneath the city of Anvil. Next, the root of Nirn upon Red Mountain. And lastly, the bloodshed of a willing soul."

A chill rippled through the room upon the last requirement. If anything would be challenging to obtain, a sacrifice would be it. Jauffre sensed the unrest and calmly stated, "Do not fret. The nine have always and will always provide." The words seemed to settle the high emotions around him.

Sirai spoke up, "Brother Jauffre, I believe it would be best if we all spent the rest of the day here then, getting ready for our important hunt. I do know my body has taken a toll from traveling and I am not nearly ready to leave once again." Jauffre bowed to her and replied, "That would be fine m'lady. Preparedness never hurt anyone."

"One other thing. If I may be so bold as to suggest this, but the trip to Anvil will be far enough away for me, let alone venturing to Morrowind. If I may take the Imperial escort with me, I would much rather wish you and Cedric take a small dispatch of the Blades to the volcano."

"Whatever you wish."

"Then it shall be"

Sirai excused herself from the table, and both Jauffre and Cedric bowed as she left the room. Jauffre turned towards his younger and exclaimed, "Well then Captain Cedric. Would you do me the honor of helping me plan our route to Vvardenfell?" "With pleasure!" Cedric laughed and the two set off to seek out a map and atlas.

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><p><strong>AN: Story statuses are on my profile page. I try to update them frequently. Thanks for reading and reviewing!**


	6. Chapter 5 Parting

**Sangreal – Chapter 5 – Parting**

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><p>Morning rose too swiftly for the weary champion as she achily lifted herself from the bed, a hand cupped upon her swollen belly, the other steadying her upon the sheets. "How are we this morning, little one?" She asked smiling as she stared at her stomach. With a deep breath she lifted herself off the bed and towards the vanity.<p>

Upon the side table stood a deep bowl and a tall pitcher of water. Slowly Sirai poured the liquid into the bowl, splashing her face with its coolness. Her reaction was to shake off the water, and she grabbed a towel afterwards, drying herself quickly.

Sirai dressed into a very loose dress, brushed her curls out and walked into the main feast hall of the temple. The morning was still fresh, and only a few blades were beginning to sup on their breakfast. Deciding she was more than famished, Sirai took a seat at one of the tables, consuming an apple, a wedge of cheese, and a robust chunk of beef bathed in potatoes, carrots and celery stalks. She left the table after finishing a glass of freshly squeezed grape juice and traveled outside, munching upon a roll.

Towards the stables the wobbling woman strode and upon entering, greeted Shadowmere with a lovely red apple. "We travel to Anvil today my friend. I know how much you love to look upon the oceans." The mare seemed to nod her black silken head in agreement. Sirai patted the horse upon her curved neck and left to take in the fresh air.

As she looked around at the new day, she noticed Cedric and Jauffre busy discussing something upon the temple walls. She slowly walked towards them and both men greeted her. Cedric's Nordic physique stood strongly against Jauffre's Breton features, but the same expression stood out upon their faces; one of determination. They had stayed awake late into the night, planning their route into the Morrowind Province, and their hard work showed beneath their eyes.

"How are you this morning, Sirai?" Jauffre asked with a slight bow. Sirai nodded her head back and smiled, "I am doing rather well. It's almost as if the morning is welcoming us to begin our journeys in earnest." Cedric looked upon his former lover with doe eyes and exclaimed, "Perhaps the nine understand why we long for our emperor to be back. Ocato has been advisor for a long time, but never ruler himself. The dragon fires have always been a symbol to our people of protection and of power."

Jauffre nodded and added, "Even though the barrier between Oblivion and Nirn is now forever closed, it's the symbolism behind those fires that made the people feel safe beneath Akatosh's wings. Without them, and an Emperor, we are susceptible more than ever to being invaded. The High Elves are growing in strength to the south, and there is rumor of the Argonians to our east planning to take Morrowind."

Sirai took a deep breath. Before she could ask their intended route, Jauffre unclasped his hands from behind his back and produced a small rolled map. He unraveled it for her and explained to her the path of the ink line that ran its surface. "Cedric and I shall take a small mass of my Blades here and travel to Cheydinhal where we will supply ourselves and cross over into Morrowind. From there we will go towards the Inner Sea and cross over to Vvardenfell. The Blades still have a slight foothold in Ebonheart upon the Ascadian Isles, so hopefully from there we can travel to Dagoth-Ur, or Red Mountain." Sirai weighed his words and questioned him, "How long will this journey be? Surely I will be done before you?" Cedric chuckled to himself and replied, "In your current state, milady, we should be back within the same amount of time as you." Sirai laughed. Sometimes she forgot she wasn't her old self; lean and vicious.

The group was then interrupted by a soldier clad in the traditional blue and gold armor of the Blades. He stood erect, bowed to Jauffre, and proceeded to speak. "Grandmaster Jauffre, I present Caius Cosades." Jauffre thanked the soldier and walked hastily towards an erect figure dressed in full Blades regalia. The two men embraced joyfully. "Grand Spymaster Caius, what a sight for sore eyes!" Jauffre smiled. His friend removed his feathered helmet and smiled back, "I heard you were in need of a guide in Morrowind." Caius was himself a graying man and in many aspects resembled an Imperialized Jauffre. The old monk laughed heartily and replied, "Who better to guide us than the man who helped the Nerevarine save Morrowind?"

Jauffre turned back towards his companions, "I would like to introduce you to Cedric Galaynus, Watch Captain for the Imperial guard," Caius and Cedric bowed to one another, "and this is our very own Champion of Cyrodiil-" Caius cut Jauffre short and finished, "Sirai Allesia… I thought I'd never see the day." He took the heroine's hand and kissed it gently, rising from his bow slowly. "You've made quite an impact on this world. Are you planning on performing one more miracle?" Sirai closed her eyes for a moment and then looked at Caius deeply, "Perhaps I am."

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><p>With horses readied and saddle bags filled, two accompaniments glistened in the sun, light reflecting off of the various pieces of metal armor. The three men rode in front of the Blades as Sirai sat serenely in front of the Imperial escort. The large group moved as one, down the mountains and onto the Silver Road, as they delved deeper and deeper into the Heartlands.<p>

Once the Silver Road intersected the Red Ring Road that circled the Imperial City, the two groups parted, the Blades riding west and the Imperials riding east. Sirai would stay in the city for the night in order to gain her strength, but Jauffre, Cedric, and Caius would travel until they reached Cheydinhal.

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><p><strong>AN: Story statuses are on my profile page. I try to update them frequently. Double thanks to all my readers and followers for reading and reviewing! It's good to know that the older Elder Scrolls are still remembered and deeply loved!**


	7. Chapter 6 Night Mother

**Sangreal - Chapter 6 - Night Mother**

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><p>Sirai travelled with her Imperial guards at a very leisurely pace, not wanting to trot for fear of getting sick. The journey had indeed been slow, and the guards were growing weary from the constant battling. Sirai had tried her best to help, her skill the only thing keeping her going.<p>

After much struggle, sight of the Imperial city lifted the travelling party's spirits and the horses walked faster, sensing the excitement.

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><p>The group finally settled into the Merchant's Inn as the sun was setting, and the guards rested happily in their home city, gorging on drink and food. Sirai allowed herself to also satisfy her immense appetite. The kicking inside her stomach was becoming more frequent, and she was terrified that she may be on the brink of labour, but she tried her best to stay calm. This journey was for Martin, and she had to stay strong and resilient. For Martin, for the Empire, for her children.<p>

Night had settled into the sky and Sirai was deeply sleeping, the rest greatly welcomed to ease her muscles. Her sleep was interrupted, however, as the night mother began to rumble from her Webspinner domain. Long ago, Sirai had made her pilgrimage to the Aedra altars, walking the path of the nine divines, hoping to save herself from the wickedness she had fallen into with the Dark Brotherhood; but this did not stop the Night Mother from trying to reach her beloved child, her listener.

Sirai woke with a start into her dream, standing within a misty clearing in the middle of a dark wood. The voice of the Night Mother called out weakly as the wife of Sithis struggled to connect to Sirai through the Aedra's blessings. "My child, the Daedra have been watching you as you begin this trek to save… the Septim's last blood?"  
>"Yes, Night Mother. I am."<br>"Sithis and Mehrunes Dagon have been... quarrelling..."  
>"Quarrelling?"<br>"The details are not important, but one thing is, is that Mehrunes has taken satisfaction in the disappearance of the last Septim. Sithis wants that joy eradicated."

Sirai was still slightly confused as to why the night mother was contacting her. She was slightly afraid there may be an imminent punishment for her neglecting her duties and turning her back on the brotherhood. The otherworldly leader of the brotherhood could sense her listener's apprehension and she called out softly, "Do not worry, my child. I am not here to punish you. Although you have broken my heart, Sithis gave you to me and I will always love you as my own. No, I am here to offer my aid in your journey." The words took a moment to sink into the Khajiit's psyche and she replied, "You want to help me, Night Mother?"  
>"Send word to Cheydinhal sanctuary. Under your pillow will be the note. Leave the inn and tie the note to my raven's leg. She will deliver the news to Arquen. I want my assassin's, my beautiful children, to travel with your two parties."<p>

The pregnant champion was speechless and with a sudden blinding light flooding Sirai's vision, she awoke suddenly, her fur wet with perspiration. Her head was pounding and she could feel the Aedra struggling to rebuild their barriers within her soul. She reached a hand under her pillow and pulled out a small scroll tied shut with a crimson ribbon. Her clawed fingers tried their best to open the ribbon so she could read the message, but it wouldn't budge. She would have to just blindly trust the Night Mother.

She quietly slipped down the stairs after covering herself with her riding cloak, and stepped out into the cool night. Autumn was coming in, and the air smelled of it. From the dark skies a loud caw pierced the silence and an evil looking raven dove down, pulling up sharply to land on one of the merchant crates. It stared at Sirai, and the Khajiit cautiously approached it. She carefully tied the scroll to the leather strip bound to the bird's leg, and once finished, it quickly flapped it's wings until it was off again into the night, flying as fast as it could to Cheydinhal.

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><p>It was further into the same night, that Cedric laid in his bed at the Cheydinhal Bridge Inn, trying to rest through his fitful sleep. A black leather figure silently opened his door, and latched it back, crouching as it moved across the floor, cautiously approaching Cedric's bed. With a smooth metallic sound, the figure pulled it's dagger from it's sheath, and with a leap, the dark being was sitting on Cedric's chest, holding him down, its dagger pushed against his throat.<p>

Cedric gasped and only briefly struggled until he noticed the blade at his neck. The smooth voice of a woman came from the hood of the figure and said, "Do not trouble yourself trying to move me. I'm not here to kill you. I am here to help you." Cedric's eyes were wide with fear and confusion and he asked softly, "To help me? Why is your blade pressed to my neck then?" A soft laugh reached his ears and the same voice answered, "So that I know you won't kill me and instead listen to me." Cedric stayed silent, waiting for the figure to continue. The woman started up again, "A group of assassins will be following your travelling party. There will not be many of us, but if you see a dark figure out of the corner of your eye, know it is an ally and not an enemy."

The Nord did not know what to say, his heart catching in his throat. The assassin felt she had gotten her point across and sheathed her blade, leaping off of him and slipping quickly away from his room. Cedric sat up in his bed, and ran a hand down his face. He hurriedly left his room to tell Jauffre and Caius what had just occurred.

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><p>The female assassin gently fell down into the well that lead to the Dark Brotherhood Sanctuary, catching the ladder briefly, and landing on her feet. She walked purposefully through the stony halls until she reached the living quarters of the underground base. She removed her hood, revealing herself to be the high elf Arquen, Speaker of the Black Hand, and she yelled out, "Come now brothers and sisters! The Night Mother has bestowed upon us the responsibility of aiding in our dear Listener's quest!"<p>

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><p><strong>Thanks to all the followers and reviewers, I really appreciate everyone who has stuck with me throughout this story! Remember, all my story statuses I try to regularly update are on my profile. Thanks for reading!<strong>


	8. Chapter 7 In the Distance

**Sangreal - Chapter 7 – In the distance**

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><p>Sirai set out early for Skingrad with her Imperial escorts as the sun began to rise, and tried her best to sit deeply in her saddle. Shadowmere felt the tension from her and tried to make his gate as smooth as possible upon the stony road. It was the Gold Road that they were traversing, but there was nothing golden about the trip.<p>

A young, handsome looking soldier rode up beside Sirai upon his own white mare and asked her, "Is everything all right, Lady Alessia?" The Khajiit turned to the man, and smiled wide as she replied, "Oh, yes, I'm quite alright for a pregnant woman. Captain Thalan, there is something I've been meaning to tell you." An eager look crossed his face as he looked upon the champion and answered, "Go ahead!"  
>"Amongst the trees, from time to time, have you heard a rustle? A swift movement barely seen out of the corner of your eye?"<br>"A few times, yes. Several soldiers have gone on alert, as you've noticed, but we could find nothing."  
>"Well, do not be afraid of these figures. They mean us no harm, only to help. They only stay so they may attack our enemies swiftly."<p>

Captain Thalan was puzzled but Sirai hushed him before he could speak and purred to him, "It will be all right. Trust me on this one." The captain's anxiety drained from his conscience as he let the Khajiit soothe him with her words. Speech-craft was an important skill for Sirai, and it allowed her to comfort her companions and rally her troops while instilling fear and anger in her enemies.

A far off goblin shriek made every soldier in the company draw their bow and arrows, but it had been the sound of a death, not of a battle cry. Sirai held up a hand and said, "See? Only here to help." Captain Thalan nodded and called for his company to sheath their weapons. Sirai rocked back into her saddle and said softly, "Perhaps we shall discuss this when we stop with the rest of your men. They are skilled and could easily hurt our allies." Thalan nodded, "Yes, I agree."

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><p>Cedric, Caius, and Jauffre had travelled steadily towards the Valus Mountain Range that stood between Cyrodiil and Morrowind. The range had a horrible reputation for being hard to climb and very inhospitable. Yet here the Blades were, staring up at the rocky slope, a thin, precarious looking trail, weaving its way up between the rocks and scraggly trees.<p>

Caius whipped his paint gelding around towards the group and roared out, "Like every other obstacle we have overcome, we shall conquer this mountain, all in the name of the Septim bloodline and the Empire!" A resounding hurrah rippled through the group, and following in a single line, the soldiers began their ascent, horses cautiously walking on the gravel path.

As they went higher on the mountain, the plant life grew less and less, trees becoming shorter and flimsy. The plant life started to be dominated by only mushrooms, with the only greenery growing to be that of milkthistle, their magenta flowers the only color on the gray landscape. As the air grew thin, the horses and soldiers alike were breathing harder, and slips were becoming more frequent on the dangerous zig zag that passed as a road.

"Jauffre," Cedric began, calling up ahead to the old priest, "How much longer must we endure this?" Jauffre briefly turned his head, and called back, "We are growing closer to the peak. Once there we will break for a while, build a fire, and eat. We need to try to conserve our energy for the path back down these blasted mountains." Cedric wiped his nose, the cold making it run, and he replied, "Sounds like a good plan."

The party was moving at almost a crawl as the mountain turned to only rock and snow, the air freezing and spread thin with oxygen. The horses were tiring quickly, and it was decided to dismount their steeds so that it may relieve the equines of the soldiers' weight, and to allow the men to warm their muscles up with the exercise.

The struggle was finally over as Caius led everyone to a plateau upon the mountain's top. Wood was quickly gathered from saddle bags and promptly covered with burning tinder. The humans quickly gathered around the fire, seated upon stones as the horses drank melted snow and nosed the ground in hopes of food.

Cedric lazily gnawed upon a smoked piece of deer jerky, staring out into the distant landscape, deep in thought. A very faint spiral of smoke could barely be made out through the snow, but it was clear that it was Red Mountain producing it.

"Septim for your thoughts?" Jauffre asked, nudging his young friend as he also ate a smoked strip of meat. Cedric looked away from the spiral and back towards the fire. He sighed and said, "I was just thinking of Sirai." The priest sensed the sadness and continued, "Something happened between you, am I right?"  
>"We used to be married. And we had a child together." Jauffre's eye brows rose in surprise, "Something definitely did happen between you two. What came of the babe?"<br>"She died the same day she was born. It was after her death that Sirai disappeared. I never saw her again. Our marriage records were destroyed, and it was as if she was wiped from life completely. She was my reason for living."

He took a large swig from his brandy and continued, "It hurts so much that she found someone to love, that she is pregnant… She's no longer mine…" Jauffre patted him on the back and tried to comfort him. "The Aedra did this for a reason my friend. Cyrodiil would not have been saved had she stayed home to take care of her child. There would be Oblivion portals still plaguing our lands, and most of all, there is a chance to have an emperor back upon the throne." Cedric tried his best to quell his pain and nodded. The old blade was right, but he still felt bitter that all of this was at his heart's expense. It had been through so much pain, and it still ached.

Cedric looked back towards Red Mountain, and prayed that his pain would somehow be relieved. The camp quickly disassembled, and the soldiers saddled up once more, and began down the Valus Range, headed towards Kragenmoor, the Dunmer city nestled between the Valus and Velothi mountains.

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><p>Sirai, Thalan, and the rest of their group arrived at Skingrad earlier than expected, the sun still above the horizon. The count, Janus Hassildor, welcomed the travelers into his castle, a particular "thank-you" to the Champion of Cyrodiil, for keeping his Vampirism a secret from his subjects. The troops were welcomed into the bunkers, and the dark brotherhood assassins camped outside the castle walls.<p>

The pregnant feline walked to the main city and decided to spend the sunset inside of the Great Chapel of Julianos. The life inside of her was rumbling, and she decided to pay a visit to the God of wisdom, to thank him for his help. Tumindil was dressed in his velvet burgundy finery and welcomed Sirai into the chapel, and the Khajiit smiled back, walking towards the large center altar and stared up into the blue glass portrait of Julianos.

Tumindil walked up beside her and said softly, "Allow me." Sirai knelt on the red carpet and allowed the priest of the temple to dip his hands into the holy water and anoint her with it. He said a prayer as he did so, and a white magic enveloped Sirai briefly, soothing her muscles and her mind, as her thoughts became clearer and her magica stronger. She thanked the Altmer for his blessings and Tumindil bowed, going back to walking around the temple.

Sirai stared back up at the aqua stained glass, and pleaded to Julianos, "Please watch over our quest to bring back the emperor. Give us strength, wisdom, and the intelligence to make the right decisions." Her thoughts wandered to Cedric and her own heart began to ache as she thought of everything she had done to him. Tears began to wet the fur upon her face and she wished he was holding her and comforting her as he used to.

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><p>With much struggle, and a few sprains from both man and beast, the blades reached the dark looking city of Kragenmoor. The ruling Dunmer family, House Dres, reluctantly allowed the group to rest in their lower section of their city, the large looming spires looking like architectural claws. As they travelled into the alien city, they passed seedy looking mer, shivering against black walls from skooma withdrawal, several robbed while lost in their stupor.<p>

The dark brotherhood assassins felt safe enough to show themselves to the Blades as they found a low-lit, shabby inn with a bedraggled and graying innkeeper that could care less about their comfort. An Argonian dressed in the traditional black brotherhood armor sat down with Jauffre, Caius and Cedric as his comrades sat down at separate tables from the soldiers. "This one is named Dan-Ei Tikeer. We hope you accept our help on your quest," he spoke slowly in the customary slithering drawl of the lizard like race. Caius took the initiative to speak and said, "It is not rejected. But your involvement is what is most puzzling." With a dark scratchy laugh, Dan-Ei replied, "Sithis also wishes the return of Martin Septim. It is more a matter of I scratch your back… you scratch mine…"  
>"Go on."<br>"If you have not already noticed, my party consists of only Argonians…"

The three mean turned in their seats looking around at the assassins. A scaly tail emerged from each set of armor, and a few of the lizard race snarled at the stares.

Dan-Ei spoke once more when everyone turned back to him, "My brothers and sisters wanted the chance to join the Black Marsh rebellion in Morrowind… to exact revenge for our races slavery by the dark elves." Caius raised an eyebrow as Jauffre and Cedric leaned in. "What exactly are you asking?" he said.  
>"I'm asking you to let us kill without interference."<p>

The humans exchanged puzzled looks among themselves and then Jauffre responded, "It is not our fight. Do what you like. We are only here to save the empire." Dan-Ei lifted his mug of mead and let out a loud laugh and smiled. "Let us cheer to our quests." The table toasted all around, and the exhausting day ended with delight as everyone filled their tired souls with alcohol.

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><p><strong>Thank-you for reading my little journey! I hope things are picking up enough to keep everyone interested. We have just entered Morrowind and the quest towards Dagoth Ur continues! All of my story statuses are on my profile page, and feel free to comment, critique, and review!<strong>


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